To the OP, Volt9000.
You claim to be a "power-user" but did no research before buying an Android phone to replace your iPhone 4. This is like buying your first Mac and then complaining because it isn't exactly like Windows and can't do things exactly the same way as the Windows PC you have used for the last 2 years.
I did research the device, although admittedly I probably should have researched a bit more. Truth be told, a lot of things about GS3/Android I nitpick about, only because I'm such a pedant. Also, to be fair, there are many things that you will only find out once you get the device and start getting a feel for it. Unfortunately, I did not have any opportunity to try one out in great detail. All the mobile phone kiosks around here use non-functioning dummy models, which are all but useless.
I again point to what I said in my original post: these are all my personal observations, that's all.
Some yes, some no.Every single gripe you listed is more user related, than phone related.
I know what A2DP is, and I've been using BeyondPod since the beginning. It works well, but the problem was that I already had Rocket Player installed, and RP insisted on taking over playing music after a call. Since I uninstalled RP, my Bluetooth podcast playing has been working well.(Look up what A2DP is and an app called BeyondPod. Will solve half your gripes.)
I've heard about rooting, but to be honest I only looked into it superficially because I had no intention of rooting, at least not for a while. However now that I'm digging deeper into it, it seems like a worthwhile endeavor.I switched to Android this year, after using nothing but iPhones since the first Motorola Razr flip-phone, which was my phone prior to the first iPhone. I did a lot of research before and after my purchase before asking questions like "What is rooting?" People that complain about a product without actually knowing anything about the product are posting because they want to start a flame war.
I've done that. Since my original post I've learned about disabling things. My main gripe, to be honest, is the fact that the bloat came with the phone in the first place. I realize most phones are like this, due to the manufacturer throwing their own shit on there, and probably the only way to avoid the bloat is to get a pure Google phone.And I did love your bloatware comment. A simple Google search could have told you to go into App Manager and click "disable". Done.
On iOS, you get all that crap bloatware, like Newstand, and there is nothing you can do about it, unless you want to jailbreak and if you have a phone on iOS6, you can't even do that.
I already have. None of what I complained about is due to any of those things.So, do a little research. Learn the basics like "rooting", "flashing", what a "ROM" is, knowing what Google Now is and so on.
You will look less like a troll trying to start a flame war. And I would have told you to go to the XDA forum to look up info about ROMs, but if a simple Google search is to difficult for you, the XDA forums will be way too complicated for you and you should stay away from rooting and custom ROMs and/or kernels.
Ouch. That's pretty harsh.
Again I say I'm not trying to start a flamewar. I didn't start this thread saying "OMG IPHONE > ANDROID!!!!11 GOOGLE SUX LOLOL". I only stated my *personal* observations so far. Am I not allowed to have an opinion on anything without getting scolded by some uptight person who immediately gets all defensive?
To be fair, you do make some valid points. Yes, I should have researched more. No, I can't expect it to behave exactly as my previous phone did. However, I don't think it's unfair for me to come onto these forums, state my opinions, and get some constructive feedback from some other users without getting spanked.